Having already announced the game for the Xbox 360, Vivendi Games has announced F.E.A.R. for the PS3. It is scheduled to launch this November, although it wasn’t mentioned whether it will be a launch title or not.

The PS3 version will feature exclusive single-player content as well as multiplayer. It is being developed by Day 1 Studios in conjunction with Monolith Productions.

Another survival-horror title will enter the market soon, courtesy of 4A Games who announced METRO 2033: The Last Refuge. Based on the cult masterpiece of Russian author Dmitriy Glukhovskiy, the game has the whole of humanity usurped by radiation and monstrous creatures with only one shelter remaining (sort of like The Matrix, but with radiation instead of robots).

In development for PC and PS3 for release during Q4 2008, the game will be a FPS with elements of RPG. It’s tough to sum it up in a few words, so please check out the full press release as it seems to be quite an interesting game.
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Ubisoft has announced the first original Star Wars game built exclusively for the PSP and DS - Star Wars: Lethal Alliance. An action-adventure game developed by Ubi’s Montreal and Casablanca studios, the game takes place between Episodes III and IV as gamers take on the role of Twi’lek Rianna Saren and her security droid Zeeo as they are hired by the Rebel Alliance to infiltrate Imperial planets and fight legions of evil fiends. They are also charged with uncovering the Death Star, the Empire’s most “deadly secret.” Some key features:

• One-of-a-kind collaborative fighting: Combine the elite weaponry and acrobatic skills of Rianna with the multifunctional defensive and slicing support of Zeeo to create a formidable team. Only by working together can you complete perilous missions and ultimately steal the plans for the Death Star.

• Epic gameplay and cinematic action: From the chaotic planet of Coruscant to the dusty, dangerous alleys of Mos Eisley, Rianna and Zeeo must use an arsenal of tricks to complete their mission. Set up holographic disguises to fool Imperial guards, commandeer gun turrets, master death-defying flying escapes and battle carnivorous beasts.

• First original Star Wars game built exclusively for handhelds: Multiplayer modes enhance collaborative gameplay while taking advantage of the unique capabilities of both the PSP system and Nintendo DS.

• Iconic environments and characters: Your mission takes you to classic destinations such as the Death Star and Tatooine, and allows you to discover never-before-seen locations on Despayre, Danuta and Alderaan. Each new environment offers encounters with unforgettable Star Wars characters and species, including Boba Fett, Kyle Katarn, Princess Leia Organa, Darth Vader, Imperial officers, Rodians, Quarren and stormtroopers.

Star Wars: Lethal Alliance will ship this December.

Due for release this November is ANACONDA’s Boxing Manager, a game that lets players live out the (not so) glamorous world of boxing managers:

The Boxing Manager sees players take control of their own stable of boxers. The aim: taking your prize fighters all the way to the top and win world championship belts of all three federations. Starting out with a small team and three unknown, talented fighters, managers will train the boxers, sign on new up-and-comers and expert staff from around the world, set up bouts and determine tactics and techniques before and during the events. As the game progresses, players will be able to train manage up to 30 fighters at the same time - only if they are successful and form talented amateurs into hardened professionals will they be able to earn coveted titles in all the well-known weight classes.

Of course, managers will always have to have an eye on their finances: does he have the funds to take on better staff in order to improve training? Can he promote his boxing events with TV ads, drawing crowds and earning big bucks, or will he have to make do with a small note in the local papers?

F.E.A.R. Combat has been released, offering the multiplayer component of Monolith’s horror FPS as a free download. You can find details here, and download it from the Official Website, 3D Downloads, 3D Gamers, AusGamers, Computer Games, Filecloud, FileFront, GameArena, Gameguru Mania, Gamer’s Hell and Worthplaying.

Bring out the ’80s hairdos, clothes and music: VU Games announced that it has signed some of the biggest music artists from the era to headline the in-game soundtrack for Scarface: The World is Yours. Popular 1980s acts including Run DMC, Judas Priest and Johnny Cash will see their music appear in the game alongside the entire motion picture score by Giorgio Moroder and songs from the original motion picture soundtrack. It will also feature several tracks from some of today’s biggest artistes; details will be available at a later date.

In development at Radical Entertainment, the game will let players customize their music experience through a “Mix Tape” feature. “Throughout the development process we have focused on giving the player the power to choose their own in-game music experience, whether it be the Scarface purist that wants only the film score, the player that wants authentic music from the time period or the fan that craves the hottest tracks from today’s talent,” said Cindy Cook, chief strategy and marketing officer for Vivendi Games. “We are able to offer this choice through our new ‘Mix Tape’ music mixer and an incredible lineup of 1980s and contemporary artists that are bringing their hits to the game. Generations of film fans and gamers will be able to create an experience that best suits their unique tastes.”

The in-game music will be playable all throughout the game, with a selection of songs available to the player from the start. More songs will have to be unlocked by completing various missions, or purchased through the game’s “Exotics Catalog,” which will allow players to purchase a vast array of items including décor for the mansion, rare vehicles, weaponry upgrades and more.

A partial list of music to be available in the game:

• Debbie Harry - “Rush Rush” (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
  
• Public Enemy - “Don’t Believe The Hype
  
• Run DMC - “Sucker MCs”
  
• Judas Priest - “Breaking the Law”
  
• Rick James - “Super Freak”
  
• Grandmaster Flash - “The Message”
  
• Peter Tosh - “Steppin’ Razor”
  
• Rick James - “Give It To Me Baby”
  
• Beth Anderson - “Dance Dance Dance” (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
  
• Burning Spear - “Social Living”
  
• Iggy Pop - “The Passenger”
  
• Johnny Cash - “I’m an Easy Rider”

Flagship Studios has announced a joint venture with Ping0 which will manage all aspects of hosting online games for Hellgate: London, the studio’s upcoming highly anticipated RPG.

“Supporting Hellgate: London is just the beginning for Ping0,” said Bill Roper, CEO and co-founder of Flagship Studios. “We fully expect Ping0 to both handle the online components and digitally distribute all of Flagship’s future titles. The company will also provide publishers and developers that want to bring their games online with a solution proven by one of the most highly anticipated titles in the industry.”

Sega has announced its GC 2006 lineup:

• Medieval II: Total War (PC)
  
• Sonic The Hedgehog (Xbox 360, PS3)
  
• Sonic and the Secret Rings (Nintendo Wii)
  
• Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz (Nintendo Wii)
  
• Virtua Tennis 3 (Xbox 360, PS3)
  
• SEGA Rally (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
  
• Yakuza (PS2)
  
• Phantasy Star Universe (PS2, PC, Xbox 360)
  
• Full Auto 2: Battlelines (PS3)
  
• Charlotte’s Web (PC, GBA, Nintendo DS)
  
• Sonic Rivals (PSP)

Confirming billions of predictions, the Phantom website has been updated with word that the console will not materialize, but that the games-on-demand service for the console will be available for Windows XP and Windows Media Center PCs.

Infinium Labs, the company behind the much-hyped console, also intended to release the Lapboard device which was originally promised to be released “no later than October 2006.” No release date has yet been provided.

Blazing Angels, having already been revealed to be a Wii launch title, is now blazing towards the PS3 to be available when the console launches this November.

A squad-based flight action game, Blazing Angels recreates World War II’s most famous battles including Pearl Harbor, Battle for Midway and more. The PS3 version of the game will include all-new missions, a 16-player multiplayer mode and will make use of the PS3 controller’s tilt function.

Eidos’ product acquisition director Ian Livingstone is a man with words… lots of it. In an interview (part 2) with Gamesindustry, he stated his support for all three next-gen consoles, offering positive words for each of them. According to him (and rightly so), Microsoft “has obviously got a 12 month head start on the competition” with Xbox 360, while Nintendo is “concentrating on gameplay above all else” with a “cheaper priced product” referring to the Wii.

His most positive words, however, were left for the PS3: “It’s extraordinary quality, that’s the starting point,” he said about the console’s Blu-ray technology, adding that “if people are seeking the ultimate machine, the PS3 is clearly the best spec machine as far as next-gen goes. As with all things in life, you have to pay for quality.” He concluded that “Sony just has to educate people that yes, it’s a lot of money, but it’ll be worth it.”

He didn’t stop there. Livingstone also spoke about the company’s big franchise, and gaming icon, Lara Croft, commenting that further Tomb Raider games are in development and that the publisher is currently speaking to Paramount about a third Tomb Raider film. And that’s not all: he also made the dubious claim that Lara Croft is more popular than Mario, Nintendo’s long-time mascot, due to her ability to break beyond the games niche “thanks to two blockbuster films” as well as her appeal to women as well as men.

To aid the long-running MMORPG Dark Age of Camelot, EA has announced the seventh expansion for the fantasy title - Labyrinth of the Minotaur. It is scheduled for release later this year.

Celebrating the 5th anniversary of the game, the new expansion will introduce the first new playable race to the Realms in two years - the Minotaur. Half man, half bull, the Minotaur is powerful enough to wield two-handed weapons in one hand, allowing players to experience a new form of combat. The expansion will also introduce a new player class - the Mauler. This brawling class will be available to all players to harness, with those choosing it being able to channel the elemental powers of the Earth for use in battle. In addition, the expansion will let any Champion of the Realms expand their powers and abilities with five new Champion Levels.

And that’s not all. The add-on will also introduce the Labyrinth, the largest single dungeon in any MMO. This dungeon will contain new PvE quests, new encounters and new areas for RvR combat. It will also feature new Mythical items and more.

Those who pre-order the expansion will receive an exclusive pet - the Clockwork Kitten - to accompany them on their journeys throughout the Realms. More information will be revealed at the upcoming Roundtable Fan Gathering on September 29-30 in Las Vegas, NV.

Namco and Bandai Games have jointly announced that MotoGP is being developed for the PSP for release in North America. Gamers can now experience the “excitement” of Moto Grand Prix racing on-the-go with new features including the new 2005 roster, unlockable rewards and a wireless multiplayer mode allowing for up to eight players race against one another.

Set for release this Fall, the game will also include a variety of new modes including head-to-head in time trial, arcade, one-on-one and more.

Through a very short press release, JoWood announced Freak Out, the “ultimate freeride skiing experience” for the PS2, PSP and PC.

The steepest slopes, thrilling stunts and dangerous action provide a most excellent skiing experience. At an altitude of 2000 metres, far away from civilization, in a battle between you and nature. Who rides the craziest track, where does the next jump lead to; speed, tricks or staying upright ? Only those who are willing to push their own boundaries will experience the ultimate adrenaline rush!

In development at Coldwood Interactive, Freak Out is scheduled for release during Q4 2006 for PC and PS2, with the PSP getting it during Q1 2007.

Renowned adventure game designer Jane Jensen will be presenting her new game Gray Matter at a press conference tomorrow at GC. Author of the best-selling Gabriel Knight trilogy, Jensen has been working on the now-revealed adventure game for release during Q4 2007 by dtp. It is her first title since the release of Gabriel Knight 3 back in 1999.

The press conference is scheduled for August 24 from 11 am to 12 pm in conference room 1, 3rd floor of the Leipzig Messehaus. Following the conference, Jane Jensen will give autographs at the ANACONDA theatre (hall 5, booth G02) from 12.30 pm onwards.